Radiopaque tip marker for alignment of a catheter within a body

Abstract

A catheter having an outer wall of tubular shape, a cylindrical marker attached to the distal end of the catheter. The marker band includes markings for identifying the axial, rotational and yaw position of the catheter distal end when it is located in a body and viewed fluoroscopically.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A catheter comprising: a tubular outer wall having a longitudinal axis;   a cylindrical marker attached to a distal portion of the outer wall, the marker including means for identifying axial and rotational positions of the distal portion when the distal portion is inserted in a body, the marker being made from a radiopaque material;   at least one optical fiber disposed parallel with the longitudinal axis of the outer wall and within the outer wall; and   means for providing a positive lock of the marker to the catheter in the axial direction.   
     
     
       2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the identifying means includes a hole extending through the marker. 
     
     
       3. The catheter of claim 2, wherein the hole is of a geometric shape being asymmetric with respect to a longitudinal axis of the outer wall. 
     
     
       4. The catheter of claim 2, wherein the hole is of alphanumeric shape. 
     
     
       5. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the identifying means comprises a notch disposed on the marker. 
     
     
       6. The catheter of claim 1, wherein said cylindrical marker is formed as an annulus. 
     
     
       7. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a groove disposed on the extending portion of the identifying means. 
     
     
       8. The catheter of claim 7, wherein the groove is of alphanumeric shape. 
     
     
       9. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the identifying means includes a slot extending the entire longitudinal length of the marker, the slot width being less than 180 circumferential degrees of the marker. 
     
     
       10. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the identifying means comprises a slot. 
     
     
       11. The catheter of claim 10, wherein the slot extends less than 180 circumferential degrees about the marker. 
     
     
       12. The catheter of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the marker is continuous with an outer surface of the outer wall. 
     
     
       13. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the identifying means outer surface is continuous with the outer wall outer surface. 
     
     
       14. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising an inner member of annular shape disposed at least within the distal portion, extending longitudinally parallel with the outer wall longitudinal axis, and within the outer wall. 
     
     
       15. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the means for identifying further identifies a yaw position of the distal portion when the distal portion is inserted in a body. 
     
     
       16. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the marker includes an annular lip about the marker band proximal edge overlapped by the distal portion of the outer wall. 
     
     
       17. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the means for providing positive lock includes a notch located on the cylindrical marker inner surface. 
     
     
       18. The catheter of claim 17, wherein the means for providing positive lock includes a filler being interstitial with the optical fibers and disposed within the notch. 
     
     
       19. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the providing means includes adhesive disposed within the outer wall and being an integral part of the distal portion outer surface. 
     
     
       20. The catheter of claim 2, wherein the providing means includes an adhesive interstitial with the optical fibers and being an integral part of the distal portion outer surface. 
     
     
       21. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the means for identifying is asymmetrical about a longitudinal axis when viewed from a location perpendicular to the catheter longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       22. A catheter comprising: a tubular outer wall;   a cylindrical marker contiguous to and extending in a distal direction beyond a distal end of the outer wall, the marker having a predetermined shape and extending in a longitudinal direction toward a distal end of the catheter, the marker including a means for identifying axial and rotational positions of a distal portion of the catheter when the distal portion is inserted in a body;   a plurality of optical fibers disposed within the outer wall parallel to an outer wall longitudinal axis, the optical fibers extending to a distal end of the catheter; and   means, in combination with the identifying means, for providing positive lock of the marker to the catheter in the axial direction.   
     
     
       23. The catheter of claim 22, wherein the providing means is interstitial with the optical fibers and engaged with the identifying means. 
     
     
       24. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the providing means is an integral part of an outer surface of the distal portion. 
     
     
       25. The catheter of claim 22, wherein the outer surface of the distal portion of the catheter is continuous with an outer surface of the outer wall. 
     
     
       26. The catheter of claim 22, wherein the identifying means comprises a portion of radiopaque material extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the outer wall and of predetermined shape aligned with the outer wall. 
     
     
       27. The catheter of claim 22, wherein the identifying means includes a hole extending through the marker. 
     
     
       28. The catheter of claim 22, wherein the identifying means includes an alphanumeric shape. 
     
     
       29. The catheter of claim 22, wherein the identifying means comprises an annular notch disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the marker. 
     
     
       30. The catheter of claim 22, wherein the identifying means comprises a groove disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the marker. 
     
     
       31. The catheter of claim 22, wherein the identifying means includes a slot extending from the catheter distal end longitudinally along a longitudinal portion of the marker, the slot being of predetermined shape. 
     
     
       32. The catheter of claim 31, wherein the slot extends the full longitudinal length of the marker, the slot's width being less than 180 circumferential degrees about the marker. 
     
     
       33. The catheter of claim 22, wherein the identifying means includes a plurality of radiopaque strips having a geometric shape extending in the distal direction. 
     
     
       34. The catheter of claim 33, wherein at least one of the strips is a different size than the other strips. 
     
     
       35. The catheter of claim 22, wherein the identifying means includes a marker distal tip having edges extending in a proximal direction and angled with respect to a catheter longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       36. The catheter of claim 22, wherein the identifying means further includes a means for identifying yaw of the catheter distal end when the distal portion is inserted in a body. 
     
     
       37. A catheter comprising: an outer wall of tubular shape;   a cylindrical marker made from a radiopaque material and attached to a distal portion of the outer wall, the marker including means for identifying axial and rotational positions of the distal portion when the distal portion is inserted in a body, the identifying means comprising a portion of radiopaque material being of predetermined shape in alignment with the outer wall and extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the outer wall, the radiopaque material portion extending from a distal side of the marker;   a plurality of optical fibers disposed within the outer wall and parallel with the longitudinal axis of the outer wall; and   means for positionally fixing the marker to the catheter in the axial direction, the providing means including an adhesive interstitial with the optical fibers and an integral part of the distal portion outer surface.